The stars: Senior quarterback Chris Leak was Mr. Steady in the offense, while true freshman Tim Tebow brought a physical and emotional wallop in a back-up role. Wide receiver Dallas Baker came through with a big senior season, and this was a stout defense led by an overpowering front (led by Jarvis Moss, Steven Harris, Ray McDonald and Derrick Harvey) and a playmaking secondary that included All-America safety Reggie Nelson and cornerback Ryan Smith.
What they did: The Gators didn't have the wow factor in terms of blowing out opponents, but this is a team that played tough and knew how to win the close games. Then, in the biggest game of the season, the Gators put together their most impressive performance of the year in the 41-14 upset of No. 1 Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz. The defense led the way, completely shutting down Heisman-winning quarterback Troy Smith and a potent OSU attack.
Big moment: It came in the aftermath of a heartbreaking (and controversial) loss at Auburn. At a time when they could have fractured, the Gators came together and won the next six games in a row to earn a shot at Ohio State in the national title game.
Fun fact: The Gators certainly knew how to celebrate 100 years of Florida football. They did it by winning the program's second national championship. It came 10 years after the first.
Quote: ""There were 21 seniors, so we had a lot of leadership. We weren't really a team that went out there and dominated everybody we played. We won a lot of close games. But I think that speaks to the leadership that we had. When we faced tough situations we found ways to pull through."
- center Steve Rissler
